Improvement in combined latch and look



@uiten tetra ignite-t @frn4 Letters Patent No. 82,418, dated September 22, 1868.

` IMPROVEMENT IN COMBINED LATCH AND LOCK.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: A y

Be it known that I, FREDERICK L. JOHNSON, of Wallingford, county of New Haven, and State of'Connecticut, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Locks and Latches; and I do hereby declare thc following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,

and to the letters .of reference marked thereon. Said drawings constitute part oi'- this specification, and repre-k sent, in-

Figure 1, a side view of myimproved lock inserted in the door,

Figure 2, a top View of the same.

Figure 3, the lock with the side-plate removed.-

Figure 4,- a section of tig. 3, taken through line :v z.

Figure 5, also .the lock, -with the plate remoyed.

Figure 6, a section of fig. 5, taken through line y y; and in Figure 7, two views of the key which is required to operate my lock.

-Similar letters of reference, when they occur in the separate views, indicate like parts.

My' invention relates to an improvement in the ordinary kind of plortise-locks and latches, whereby but one bolt is required, the said bolt being so arranged as to act both as a lock' and latch, thus making a much cheaper lock than if a separate bolt and latch were required to perform thesame duties.

To enable others skilled in the art tomake and use my improved lock and latch, Iwill proceed to describe the constructionand operation of the same.

A is accase, of4 convenient size, very similar to the case of an ordinary mortise-lock. B is a bolt, upon the shank and toward the end of which are placed small projections, a a,and at the end are placed larger projections, 6 6. The lower cf these projections, 6, is used as a means of carrying the bolt back, or`un1ocking the same. D-is a tumbler, through which a spindle is passed in the ordinary way. Upon the said tumbler are placed arms, C C, to act upon theprojections a a upon the shank of the bolt, when unlocked, and perform the duties o f a latch. The said tumbler is also arranged to slide laterally upon the spindle, and'is held in its proper place Yby means of a spring, Ei. A F is a catch, placed upon the inside of the door, sliding in bearings formed upon `the under side of the escutcheon, the inner end of which is so arranged as to form a perpendicular brace between the under side of the escutcheon and the outside of the lock, for the purpose of making mylock doubly secure, and will hereafter be more fully described. This completes the construction of myimprovcment.

The operation is as follows: Thedoor being unlocked, the'natural position of the bolt will be that shown in black, igsf'l, 2, 3, 4, and, in order to open it, turn the knob G, which, being connected' with the tumbler D by means of the spindle, turns the said tumbler D. The arms C C, in turning, act upon one of the projections .a a, and force the bolt back, as shown in blue, tig. 3. The said bolt being constructed with an incline, and .operated by spring CZ, is self-closing,as in ordinary spring-latches.

In order to lock the door, the key is inserted and turned, luntil the projection r cam upon the said key (as shown at c, iig. 6,) comes in contact with the lower arm C upon the tumbler D, and raises the said tumbler sumciently to enable the arms C C to clear the projections a aiupon the bolt. When this is done, the spring immediately distends and throws the bolt forward, as shown in'red, figs. 3 and 4, and in black, fig. 5. When the arms C C upon the tumbler have passed the said projections a a, the said tumbler is carried back by the spring E, as shown infig. 6, to its original position. The arms are thus forced between theiprojections a a and. b b upon the bolt, as shown in red, Aiig. 4, and more clearly in black, iig. 6. The tumbler D is thus held fast upon both sides between the said projections, and cannot be moved either backward or forward by the action of the knob and spindle, and thus securing the door.

To unlock the door, the key is inserted and turned till it comesiucontact with the lower projectionupon the bolt. The cam c upon the said key is so arranged' that, before it srikesthisprojection, the said cam acts upon the lower arm C of the tumbler D, and raises the said tumbler suiciently to allow the arms C C thereon to clear the projections a a upon the bolt B. The-key being still further turned, acts upon the said lower projection b, and carries the bolt back, at the same time releasing the tumbler D, which immediately falls back to its position forward of the projections a a, then, by turning the knob, the tumbler acts, as before described, upon the bolt, in the manner of a latch, andthe door can be easily opened, as in the ordinary case of such latches.

In order to make my lock still more safe, I place the catch F upon the inside of the door, and constructed as before described. To operateithis catch, after the door is locked and the tumbler in its proper position between the projections t a. and b b, the slide is pressed inward towards the spindle. This brings the inner end. of the slide F in contact with the tumbler D, and the outer end being held firmly by the escutcheon, makes it impossible to force the tumbler D laterally out of place, and as the door cannot be unlocked until this is accomplished, is made ciectually burglar-proof.

I am aware that spring-locks or latches have been made, where the key upon one side4 answers in place of a knob, but in these cases the mechanism of the lock is very complicated, and liable to get out of order, whereas, in my lock, the mechanism is simple, much more durable, and quite as eicient.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful, and desire to secure by Letters 1. The tumbler D, held by spring E, having a lateral motion, to enable one bolt to act upon both as a. lock and latch, constructed substantially in the manner herein set forth.

2. The bolt B, provided with projections a a and b b, in combina arms C C, and acted on by the said tumbler, substantially as herein set forth.

3. The catch F, held by the escutcheon, and arranged to act upon and keep the tumbler from sliding laterally, constructed in thc manner substantially as herein set forth.

tion with the tumbler D, provided with FREDERICK L. JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

BENJ. P. Foo'rn,

GEO. W. SMITH 

